Beauty

Sourwood is not an important tree from a commercial standpoint, but it is a tree that really brightens up the landscape during the summer. I became acquainted with sourwood when I moved to Eastern Kentucky in the mid-1970's, and I missed it when we moved back to Illinois almost thirty years ago. I think it was in 1984 that we took a trip back to Paintsville, KY to visit our friends, and to dig some sourwood seedlings. They are slow growing, understory trees, but they pay us back every summer with these beautiful blossoms. Sourwood honey is supposed to be a special treat, but I have never had the good fortune to taste it. We used to keep bees, and we learned to have our bees ready each year for the persimmon and basswood blooms. If sourwood honey is anything like persimmon or basswood, it would be worth a trip back to Eastern Kentucky just for a jar of honey.